Aloe Vera Gel and Honey-Based Edible Coatings Combined with Chemical Dip as a Safe Means for Quality Maintenance and Shelf Life Extension of Fresh-Cut Papaya

The functionality of Aloe vera gel and honey (10% v/v) for quality improvement of fresh-cut papaya was evaluated individually as well as in combination with chemical dip containing calcium chloride (2% w/v), ascorbic acid (AA) (1% w/v) and vanillin (8mM). The changes in the physicochemical attributes such as pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, weight loss percentage, AA, total phenolic content (TPC), browning index, browning enzymes (polyphenol oxidase [PPO] and peroxidase [POX]) and microbial load of fresh-cut papaya were evaluated during their storage at 41C. It has been observed that A.vera gel and 10% honey in combination with chemical dip have a preventive role toward quality maintenance of fresh-cut papaya as indicated by retention of TPC and AA, reduced microbial load and relatively low PPO and POX activity during storage period of 12 days at 4C. Practical ApplicationsAloe vera gel and honey have been widely used in food industries due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Most recently, their uses have been expanded for quality enhancement of horticultural commodities as these are found to be safe for food applications. From the present study, it is evident that these selected edible coatings derived from natural sources could maintain the quality of fresh-cut fruit like papaya and also satisfy the consumer's need for safe food. Thus, the studied work has the practical applications in fresh-cut industries.